In 2018, Mexico reigns supreme. For the second year in a row, San Miguel de Allende, a colonial oasis in the country’s central highlands, comes in first place. (Its appearance atop our 2017 list was a first in the awards’ 23-year history.) Meanwhile, Oaxaca has climbed to second place, and Mexico City is making a welcome return to the top 15. “Mexico City is beautiful,” one T+L reader wrote. “Even though it’s overpopulated and the traffic can sometimes be a challenge, the culture and history outweigh any inconveniences. The food is outstanding and can really be eye-opening.”
India and Southeast Asia continue to cast a spell over travelers, who singled out the romantic lakeside Indian city of Udaipur; Ubud, Bali’s spiritual center; and Chiang Mai, a laid-back city of temples and tuk-tuks in the mountains of Thailand. “Chiang Mai is a great city to visit if you’re looking for a more relaxed feel, but it’s still big enough to have plenty of shopping and restaurants,” one T+L reader said. “We visited an elephant sanctuary outside the city, which was something I’ve always wanted to check off my bucket list.”
Of course, some cities never go out of style. Florence; Rome; Kyoto, Japan; and Charleston, South Carolina — the only city in the United States to make the top 15 — are World’s Best perennials that reappear here.
15. Beirut, Lebanon Score: 87.04
